- Buhari escapes unhurt
- Govt imposes curfew
Fifty people were yesterday killed in Kaduna when terrorists struck twice with bomb explosives in the metropolis. The first blast occurred near the Murtala Square shortly after a Ramadan lecture as participants were trooping out of the venue.
About an hour later, the second explosion went off at the Kawo overhead bridge, where the vehicle of former Head of State, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, who was on his way to Daura in Katsina State, was damaged by the blast.
Although, Gen. Buhari came out unhurt, three of his aides and security personnel were injured. Buhari’s car was also damaged.
There were however conflicting figures on the death toll as the police put the figure from the two blasts at 39 while aid workers and eyewitnesses said the casualty level was as high as 50.
Another survivor of the bomb attacks was the vocal Islamic scholar, Sheikh Dahiru Bauchi, who organised the Ramadan lecture.
Kaduna State Government immediately imposed a 24-hour curfew on the metropolis to enable rescue workers and security agencies assist the victims and restore normalcy in the state.
In a statement last night, Buhari said he was the main target of the blast that hit the busy business area, near Kawo Motor Park.
Buhari in a statement which he personally signed and sent to journalists in Kaduna said: “I am personally involved in a clearly targeted bomb attack today (yesterday) at about 2:30pm on my way to Daura.
“The unfortunate event, clearly an assassination attempt, came from a fast-moving vehicle that made many attempt to overtake my security car, but was blocked by my escort vehicle.
“We reached the market area of Kawo where he took advantage of our slowing down and attempted to ram into my car and instantly detonated the bomb which destroyed all the three cars in my convoy.
“Unfortunately, when I came out of my vehicle, I saw many dead bodies littered around. They were innocent people going about their daily businesses who became victims of mass murder.
“Thank God for His mercy, I came out unhurt, but with three of my security staff sustaining minor injuries. They have since been treated in hospital and discharged,” he said.
Nigerian Pilot learnt that the first bomb blast went off at about 12:45pm along Alkali Road by Isa Kaita Road near Murtala Square venue of the Ramadan lecture.
Eyewitnesses said a suicide bomber on a motorcycle who was trying to level up with the convoy of the Islamic scholar carried out the attack. According to the sources, private guard attached to Sheikh Bauchi, known as Yan Agaji, suspected the strange face and attempted to stop him but he maneuvered his way and threw the bomb at a vehicle in the convoy of the Islamic scholar. The suicide bomber died in the attack alongside several others.
One of the eyewitnesses said: “A teenage suicide bomber on a motor cycle was waiting for the convoy of the scholar and noticing his restlessness, a private guard attached to the Sheikh asked him to leave and when he refused, the guard pushed the suspect.
“In anger, the suspect threw the bomb into the crowd. The main victims were occupants of a Peugeot J-5 bus which was on the convoy of the scholar. It was only the driver of the bus that escaped but most of the people in the vehicle lost their lives.”
Kaduna Police Commissioner, Umar Shehu, confirmed to journalists at the scene of one of the blasts that 25 persons were killed, describing the incident as unfortunate.
He said that 25 bodies were recovered while the injured were rushed to Garkuwa and 44 Army Reference hospitals in the state for treatment.
Information gathered by this reporter revealed that the bomb was targeted at the Islamic scholar.
This is the second time that Sheikh Bauchi will survive a bomb attack. Early into the month of Ramadan, a bomb blast went off near his Asikolaye residence.
While the Murtala Square bomb blast caused panic in the state, another bomb blast went off in the busy business area of Kawo and near the Kawo Overhead Bridge.
It was gathered that three suicide bombers targeted the convoy of Gen. Buhari. His personal Prado Jeep and that of his security aides were damaged. Buhari was immediately whisked away by his security personnel unhurt.
However, the Commissioner of Police (Shehu) who later arrived at the scene in Kawo, confirmed another 14 deaths while five were seriously injured.
But the Red Cross and rescued workers said the figure was above 50.
Angered by the level of loss recorded from the blast, youths at the site of the incident attacked security personnel who were at the scene to rescue the victims and it took the intervention of security men who used tear gas to bring the situation under control.
Although the Police Commissioner, Umar Shehu refused to disclose the identity of the persons targeted at in Kawo blast, he however disclosed that the one at Alkali Road by Isa Kaita Junction was targeted at Shaikh Dahiru Bauchi’s convoy.
Kano State Governor, Mukhtar Yero, condemned the bomb blasts, describing the acts as the height of “cowardice” by those bent on creating tension in the state.
In a statement signed by his Director-General, Media and Publicity, Malam Ahmed Maiyaki, the governor said the blasts were clear manifestations of the resolve by “agents of darkness” to soak the land with the blood of innocent people for no just cause.”
He said: “Enemies of peace have visited us with their ungodly venom of wanton destruction of human lives. This blast, coming in the Holy Month of Ramadan is a clear indication that those behind the act have no iota of fear of God as they have none for the sanctity of human life.”
Meanwhile, apex Islamic body in the North, Jamaatul Nasril Islam, JNI, have condemned the repeated acts of terror unleashed on the Muslims.
According to them, “We are dazed over the news of the twin blasts in Kaduna city, which claimed the lives of many innocent Muslims in a Tafseer closing session of Sheikh Dahiru Usman Bauchi, held at Murtala Muhammad Square, Kaduna and within a short while another blast was said to have rocked Kawo in Kaduna.
“We therefore, condemn in the strongest term these repeated acts of terror being unleashed on the Muslims, in this blessed month of Ramadan. JNI equally sympathizes with all the affected victims and also consoles with the families of those who lost their lives in the unfortunate incident. May Aljannatul Firdaus be the abode of all the deceased, Amin.
“As usual, JNI calls on all authorities concerned to be more committed to their responsibilities of protecting the lives and properties of Nigerians as no development can be achieved in a situation of fear, insecurity and chaos. All hands must be on deck to stop these perpetual massacres of lives and properties, as Nigeria is becoming a theatre of lost of blood for no just cause, which must be stopped.
“Muslims should utilise the remaining days of Ramadan to complain to Allah, The Most Merciful, through vigorous supplications for relief, succor and ease against the evil masterminds of the nagging insecurity bedeviling our country.
“May Allah, The All-Mighty, The Compeller, The Supreme, and The All-Knowing, bring an end to this nagging evil, disgrace the perpetrators and grant us lasting peace, security, prosperity and a promising future full of happiness and development,” the statement however reads.
Meanwhile, President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan yesterday in a statement condemned the bombings in Kaduna which he said appeared to have targeted former Head of State, General Muhammadu Buhari and prominent Islamic Cleric, Sheikh Dahiru Bauchi.
President Jonathan denounced the dastardly targeting of the prominent political and religious leaders by terrorists and enemies of the nation in an odious attempt to inflame passions and exacerbate disquiet, fear, insecurity and sectional divisions in the country.
While thanking God Almighty for sparing the lives of General Buhari and Sheikh Dahiru Bauchi, the President extended sincere condolences to the families of those who were sadly killed by the bomb blasts.
President Jonathan also commiserated with all those who were injured in the twin bombings in this Holy Month of Ramadan which he said defied the tenets of Islam, and provided further proof that the terrorists “are nothing but blood-thirsty extremists bent on undermining the unity and progress of the nation’.
The President assured residents of Kaduna and all other Nigerians that the Federal Government will continue and further intensify its ongoing efforts to effectively curb the menace of terrorism in the country and specifically directed the Police and other national security agencies to take all necessary actions to apprehend the perpetrators of the attacks.